10 neighborhoods along FM 1826 will be having a joint neighborhood meeting to discuss improvements to FM 1826. The meeting will be held on May 23, 7:00 pm, at the Friendship Creekside church, 14455 FM 1826.

The neighborhoods formed the 1826 Neighborhoods Coalition two months ago to lobby for safety improvements to this increasingly dangerous road. The Coalition first worked with Hays County and TxDOT to make changes to the entrances to the Skyridge development. The site contains three entrances (instead of one) that exit onto a blind, uphill curve -- which just last week experienced another serious collision. The coalition insisted on exit lanes from 1826 into Skyridge, and then argued for lower driveway curbs, pointing out that at night or in rainy weather, drivers frequently steer off the pavement. High curbs could contribute to a wreck.

The neighborhoods have now come together on a road design and hope that their unity will convince Hays County, TxDOT, and CAMPO to quickly begin work on widening FM 1826. The preferred road design is a 4-lane divided road with left-turn lanes into the subdivisions. Curbing on the interior will greatly reduce head-on collisions. The Coalition has invited officials from Hays County, TxDOT, and CAMPO to attend the neighborhood meeting to hear their concerns.

For more immediate safety improvements the Coalition is requesting radar feedback signs to help enforce the lowered speed limit of 50 MPH. The local constable has stated that he hopes to have more deputies monitoring the speed limit on FM 1826.

The communities that comprise the Coalition include Radiance, Goldenwood, Goldenwood West, Radha Madha Dham, Rim Rock, Parten, Friendship Ranch, Fox Run, Estates of Bear Creek, and the Village of Bear Creek.